Welcoming

When a hotel delivers an outstanding guest experience it’s often a measure of how well the best aspects of organisational culture and national culture have been fused.

In 1960’s Canada, Four Seasons utilised the open heartedness of Canadians to pioneer a new level of experience for business travellers. Today’s staff are encouraged to anticipate guests' needs before they even ask. Whether booking a hard-to-get restaurant reservation or ensuring guests' favourite snacks are in their rooms.

Ritz-Carlton began life in Paris, but its organisational culture emerged in response to the demands of the US luxury travel market following the opening of its first hotel in Boston in 1927. Since then, Ritz-Carlton’s brand and culture have developed hand in hand, guided by a philosophy of "Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen". Offering service but not servility, enriched with personal touches from individual staff members.

Mandarin Oriental hotels help guests connect with the spirit of each location. Founded by Asia enthusiasts, they capitalise on many positive aspects of Asian culture, from the politeness of the welcome to the punctilious presentation.

Many service brands in Africa claim ‘the warmth of our African hospitality’.  

It’s true that African employees are drawn from societies where the social fabric is strong and vibrant. But the claim only works if your company culture enables your employees to reflect the best of their society in their work.

I recently encountered an excellent example of this happening in the new Hyatt Regency in Nairobi’s Westlands district. Businesspeople familiar with the area know that many of the new-built hotels there simply don’t live up to their promises. They look ‘OK’ from a distance but as soon as you step into the foyer the cracks are visible: from the finishes to the food to the friendliness.

But our two-day meeting for The Amalgam Leadership Programme proved a different experience. What sets Hyatt Regency apart is the genuine intent of staff to welcome and care for guests. Our complex event, with late night sessions, proved effortless to run. We were plied with proper coffee and tasty snacks by staff who remembered our preferences and sought us out. Technology glitches were minor - and rapidly fixed. Meeting spaces were cleaned and swiftly reconfigured. Staff were happy, solicitous and proactive … even the outsourced security guards! We could only react with genuine appreciation.

At Hyatt Regency, the culture may be specified by an international group, but young Kenyans deliver it. These are the kind of Gen Z employees who keep most Gen X managers awake at night. But not here, where they obviously enjoy creating a delightful guest experience and taking pride in their responsibilities.